Traction-engine.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUS HINRICH KI-IN, 0F STADE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 ERNST TUBERT, OF LEIPZIG, GERMANY.

Q TRACTION-ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUS HiNnIci-r KHN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of Stade, Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traction engines.

According to the invention, the actuating motor is mounted on a wheeled frame on the side members of which frame run carriages movable in opposite directions each provided with a sprag which enters the ground when the carriage connected thereto reaches the forward end of the frame, so that the car riage is arrested and the frame is caused to move relatively to the carriage until its rear end approaches the arrested carriage; whereas, if the actuating mechanism is reversed, the sprag of another carriage enters the ground and the rst carriage moves from the rear end of the frame to the forward end thereof, and its sprag is again forced into the ground, the actuating mechanism being again reversed, and the operation being repeated.

A traction engine of the kind described is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which* Figure 1 is a plan, and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections on the lines AA, B-B and C-C respectively of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, three traveling carriages are provided on the frame, two outer carriages and one inner carriage, the two outer carriages moving in the opposite direction to the inner carriage, so that when the two outer carriages are in their extreme rear position at the end of the frame the inner carriage may be in its extreme forward position at the front of the frame and its sprag engages with the ground so that the frame is moved forward.

The frame carried by the four wheels 1 comprises longitudinal beams or side members 3 formed of U or I-shaped iron and stidened by cross bars 2. Between the members 3 are arranged traveling carriages 4 and 5 the wheels or rollers 6 of which move between the upper and lower flanges of the beams 3. When the outer carriages 4 run on the frame in the direction shown by the arrow 7, the inner carriage 5 runs in the direction shown by the arrow 8.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 31, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

serial No. 510,611.

At the forward end of the frame is mounted a shaft 9 on which are keyed rope or chain pulleys 10 for the carriages 4 and 5. At the rear end of the motor vehicle frame is mounted a shaft 11 on which are keyed rope or chain pulleys 12. The ends of the ropes 13 are attached to the carriages 4 so that on rotation of the shaft 11 and therefore of the pulleys 12 in one direction the ropes 13 and carriages 4 are moved in a corresponding direction. To the end of the carriage 5 is attached a rope 14 which is guided in open position around the front pulley but is guided in crossed position by means of an auxiliary pulley 15 around the rear pulley 12 (Fig. 3) so that when the p ulley 12 is rotated in one direction the carriage 5 must move in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the carriages 4.

The carriages 4 and 5 are provided with spikes or sprags 16 which are pivoted at 17. These sprags 16 can swing in the direction of the arrow 18 but are prevented from swinging in the opposite direct-ion by lugs 19 on the carriages 4 and 5, said lugs serving as supports. If the position of the carriages be that shown in Fig. 1 and if the shaft 11 with pulleys 12 be set in motion by the motor, so that the carriages 4 must move in the direction of the arrow 7, while the carriage 5 must move in the opposite direction, the following action takes place The sprags 1G of the carriages 4 dig into the ground on movement of the carriages 4 in the direction of the arrow 7 while they are supported by the projections 19. If the shaft 12 be now further rotated in the same direction, since the carriages 4 are arrested by the sprags 1G, the frame running on wheels 1 moves relatively to the carriages 4 in the direction of the arrow 2O (Fig. 2). The carriage 5 which is moved in the other direction by means of the crossed rope 14 runs from the rear end of the frame in the direction of the arrow 8 toward the forward end of the frame, as its sprag 16 does not offer any resistance to this motion, but slides over the ground (Figs. 2 and 3). This movement of the frame relatively to the carriages 4 continues until the rear end of the same reaches the carriages 4 'the carriage 5 having by this time run to the forward end of the frame. At this moment reversal of the shaft 11 and the rope or chain pulleys 12 is effected either automatically or by hand, and

VtA30 the outer carriages 4 now run from the rear end of the frame to its forwardv end while the sprag 16 on the central carriage 5 enters the ground, so that the carriage 5 is arrested vmounted onthe rear end of the frame, for

example a petrolengine 23 provided with reversing' gear adapted Ato be reversed by means of the carriages themselves, so that when the carriages vreach their extreme posi- Ations the direction of rotation'of the shaft 1l v1s reversed. 'This reversing .gear may for example, consist'o'f abevel pinion 2l keyed l to the motor shaft,` which pinion is 'continuously vrotatedinthe same direction. Opposite thispinioneis arranged the bevel pinion for actuating the shaft-27 carrying the pinion 26. The shaft 'l1 is actuated from the pinion 261 by a'pinion 28. The motion of the bevel pinion 24 lis transmitted to the bevelpinion -25 by means of one or two reversing Wheels 29 and 30 keyed on an axially movable shaft-31. If thepinion 29 meshes withV pinions 24 and 25, the transmission of the rotary movement of the pinion 2lto the pinion 25 is effected in one direction, but if the pinion 30 meshes with the pinions 24 and 25 the transmission of the rotary movement is in theopposite direction. The reversal of the -pinions 29 and 30 is automatically. effected by the carriages 4; and 5. For instance, if the carriage t in` its extreme rear position strikes on the front end of the axially movable. shaft 3l, the bevel pinion 29 is brought into gear, while, if the central carriage 5 strikes the front end of the double lever 33 which is pivoted at 32, and which engages, with its front fork 3l, the shaft 81, the bevel pinion 30 is brought into gear and the shaftl 1l thereby reversed.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is:- Y

In a traction engine, in combination, a wheeled frame comprising longitudinal bars, carriages movable in opposite directions having rollers running on said bars, spragsV pivoted on said'carriages, said sprags adapted to dig into the ground when the carriages are moved vrearwardly relatively to the frame, and to slip over the ground when the carriages are moved forwardly `relatively to the frame, a. cross shaft at the vfront end of the frame, a cross shaft 'at the rear-end ofthe frame, pulleys on said shafts, tensile connections between the. pulleys and the carriages, a motor mounted on theframe, Ireversible gearing interposed between the motor and the rear shaft, said gearing including 'devices inthe path of the carriages for reversing said gearing.

In'testimony whereof I have signedmy name' to this speciiication inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAUS HINRIGH 'KOHN Vitnesses RUDOLPH Fmcim, SoUTi-IARD P. WVARNER.

`Gopiesof this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressngthe Commissioner of'Patents. -Washington, D. C. 

